Tabb Has To Settle For District Field Hockey Title

YORK — By posting a 14-2 record and yielding only two goals all season, Tabb's girls' field hockey team established itself as one of the state's elite Group AA squads.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, they didn't receive a complete chance to prove it.

There hasn't been a Region I tournament since 1985 because many Richmond-area schools moved to Group AAA and because only Northampton of the Peanut District plays the sport in Region I outside of the York River.

And there is no state tournament because fewer than half of the Group AA schools in the state sponsors field hockey.

"I just wish we had a chance to get up there," said junior forward Stephanie Eagle, the Tigers' leading scorer with 12 goals and four assists.

All of the Tigers' victories came by shutout, including 10 games against district rivals. Before sweeping its district, Tabb held its own among top Group AAA and independent teams.

The Tigers defeated Eastern Region finalist Menchville and Central Region runnerup Monacan, as well as Group AAA Midlothian. For the fourth consecutive season, they won or shared the York River title.

Their only losses - and goals allowed - were 1-0 decisions at home to Lake Braddock of Burke and Collegiate of Richmond in the Tiger Invitational, and they did not play Peninsula District champion Lafayette.

"That's one reason we have our own tournament," ninth-year Coach Paul Kirby said. "We have nothing after the season."

But the Tigers made the most of the games they had. Junior goalkeeper Lori Harris made 36 saves and permitted only two goals.

"I had saves and I did have a chance to block some goals, but overall, the defense pretty much kept it away from me," Harris said. "I feel that we could compete with other levels."

"The defense was the key to our season," Kirby said. "We only gave up 61 shots the whole year. We played a couple of teams, and they didn't get off a legitimate shot on goal.

"Lori's a very quick goalie," Kirby added. "She's a B student, so hopefully she'll be a good college prospect."

"We had two really good seniors come out this year, Renee Morin and Dana Kirt," Knoll said. "We seemed to be the most brutal team, but we seemed to work really well together. Most of us started last year or in intermediate school (eighth grade)."

Tabb did have one major drawback compared to last year's team that shared the district championship with York - offensive production. The Tigers scored only 28 goals after ringing up 44 in 1988.

"We had a great reduction in goals," Kirby said. "Talent-wise, I think last year's team was better. But when you don't give up any goals, you're not going to lose."